BC FORUM News - email sent from the BC Federation of Labour The next two weeks are big! February 11, 2019 - Over the next two weeks we will learn more about the course the Horgan government will set for the year ahead. BC’s throne speech and budget outline the government’s priorities for programs and spending. So much has been accomplished over the past 18 months – a path to a $15 minimum wage, an affordable child care program, significant reductions in surgical wait times, and real action on the housing affordability crisis – but more needs to be done to fix the damage done by the previous BC Liberal government. It's time to make life better for working people. We need significant changes to BC’s Labour Code to restore fairness and balance. Workers must be free to join a union without fear. That means putting a stop to employer interference in organizing drives and protecting workers during contract flips. BC’s basic employment standards are in desperate need of an overhaul. They were gutted by the BC Liberals. Even worse, the previous government failed to adequately enforce the law, leaving workers virtually on their own with a self-help kit and little chance of remedy. We need funding for stronger enforcement and new minimum standard laws that guarantee fair treatment for all BC workers. Tangible action is still need to reduce poverty in our communities. Under the BC Liberals, we were the only province in Canada without a poverty reduction strategy. Last fall, the Horgan government set ambitious targets and timelines, including reducing child poverty by 50% in the next five years. Now, it's time to build on that commitment with funding to support low income families, strategies that address the depth of poverty, and programs to ensure every British Columbian can reach their full potential. I will be looking carefully at what the throne speech and budget promise for working people. After 16 years of BC Liberal neglect, we will be vigilant to ensure the Horgan government continues to build on its plan to put working people first! In solidarity, Laird Laird Cronk President, BC Federation of Labour | 
